now elaine quijano tells us new orleans firefighters are returning the favor following sandy. >> what would you want to say to these guys? >> i love them for coming up here. this is the captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news." >> jeff: good evening, i'm jeff glor. they are the storms that don't seem to quit. torrential rains and powerful winds sweeping across northern california one more time. thousands are without power. and rising floodwaters are threatening many more. still it could have been much worse. carter evans is in sonoma tonight. >> reporter: this was the last punch in a weather system that's been pounding california for five days. and it was supposed to be the worst. the rains came with a vengence, high winds uprooted trees and overturned trucks near san francisco. to the east colder temperatures turned heavy rain into snow, saving the

mountain town of truckee from the predicted flooding. california's wine country had also braced for the worst. >> the water was coming very fast and furious but the cole vert system that we've created was able to take that extra water and get it safely through town with jill techel says her town has spent more than $250 million over 20 years to protect the flood-prone city. for this storm it worked. >> that whole area of town would have been closed. we would have had to evacuate everyone out. >> but down the road in sonoma. >> here's all the water and i can't believe, where is it all coming from. >> matt's restaurant is still in danger. >> the location which am is where a river runs through continuation literally and i am owe an a little island. >> reporter: the rising water overwhelm the nearby creek sending water into the street outside but by midday the sun poked through the clouds as the system moved through faster than expected. >> we're not out of the woods yet but we dodged a bullet. >> reporter: according to meteorologist the damage was limited because there were breaks in the storm allowing the waters to subside.

the timing is also important. had it been later in the winter the rivers would have been higher given the snowmelt, jeff. >> jeff: carter evans, thank you. one day after kansas city chiefs linebacker jovan belcher murdered his girlfriend then killed himself, his team was back on the field for a game. the chief beat the carolina panthers 27-2 -- but as manual bojorquez reports the team and fans are still struggling for answers. >> reporter: amid the typical game day festivities at arrowhead stadium, reminders of a team tragedy. the chiefs coach romeo crennel greeted fans just one day after watching linebacker jovan belcher take his life. >> it's tough when circumstance happen, you can't undo them. and so you have to rely on each other, rely on your family, your friends and rely on your faith. >> reporter: authorities say belcher shot and killed kasandra perkins his girlfriend and mother of his three month old daughter yesterday morning at home.

he then drove to the team's practice facility where he shot himself in front of crennel and general manager scott pioli. >> after talking with the captains, they also felt like it was best that we play, if for no other reason it takes our mind off our missery for a few hours. >> reporter: there was no tribute to belcher at today's game. just a moment of silence for victims of domestic violence. chiefs chairman clark hunt. >> there were two victims. and we really lost two members of our chiefs family, kasandra was part of our chiefs womens organization that does things in the community for the team. and under the circumstances we didn't think it was appropriate to honor just one and not the other. >> reporter: fans also wrestled with how to support the team and mourn the loss. >> you have fans that want to move forward and honor someone's life but at the same time, there was a lot and a loss that he inflicted on himself and his girlfriend. >> reporter: police here in kansas city have not released a motive for 9

shooting but did say the couple had been arguing in recent days. cbs news spoke with belcher's mother cheryl shepherd but jeff, she had no comment adding quote i have grieving to do. >> jeff: manual, thank you. >> so the called fiscal cliff of mandatory tax increases and spending cuts is to you just 30 days away. but judging by today's talk in washington democrats and republicans are hardly any closer to finding a solution. here's anna werner. >> reporter: a week closer to the december 31st deadline, treasury secretary timothy geithner told bob schieffer any potential deal will have to include a tax hike on the upper 2% of income earners. >> there is no way to raise a meaningful amount of revenue relative to the size of our fiscal challenge by just limiting the value of deductions for the wealthiest americans. >> reporter: he said the biggest obstacle is republicans who refuse to acknowledge that fact. >> there's nothing that stands in the way of that agreement. except for the potential

risk that a group of republicans decide, they hold up an agreement because they want to extend tax cuts for the wealthiest that we can't afford. >> reporter: on fox news 2 sunday speaker john boehner was not optimistic. >> i would say we're nowhere. period. we're nowhere. >> reporter: earlier this week house gop members rejected a proposal from the white house that included tax hikes, spending cuts and $50 billion in new stimulus. >> we've put a serious offer on the table by putting revenues up there to try to get this question resolved. but the white house has responded with virtually nothing. >> reporter: if nothing is done and the gridlock continues, about 110 billion in spending cuts and a $500 billion tax increase will automatically start to take effect in 2013. and the tax policy center estimates the average american household would ring in the new year owing about $3500 more on their taxes. republican senator lindsey graham says it's a possibility. >> i think we're going over

the cliff. it's pretty clear to me they've made a political calculation. >> blaming democrats for not doing enough to meet republicans halfway. >> the president plans when it comes to entitlement reform, this quite frankly a joke. >> reporter: with little more than fingerpointing getting done in dc wall street is getting wary. stocks inched higher last week but many businesses are holding off investment decisions hoping congress manages to strike a deal and pull back from the brink, jeff. >> jeff: anna werner, thank you. >> with superstorm sandy not quite five weeks behind them, the governors of new jersey and new york are asking for nearly $80 billion in federal aid. many distressed homeowners thought they were already covered by federal flood insurance. but now as michelle miller stills us, they're being told think again. >> reporter: roman and mar yain-- marianna bediner staten island home was flooded by 11 feet of water when sandy struck. >> how high did the water come in?

>> the water went through the ceiling on to the first floor. >> reporter: they had flood insurance through fema, the federal emergency management agency, that's kpon for people who live in flood zones. they thought the inspector from fema would give them a check to repair $100,000 in damages. >> the first floor where you are standing now is definitely not covered by the flood policy. >> reporter: why? >> this neighborhood is considered to be in the flood zone. >> reporter: under fema's flood insurance program, the first floor of a house such as the bediners should be used for parking or storage only. furnaces and water heaters are covered but finished walls, floors and furniture are not. >> the water was up to here. >> reporter: that caught the bediners and other homeowners we met by surprise. >> this is the sole reason to pay these premiums every single month, you know, so that, you know, you go to bed at night and you don't have to worry about things like this. >> reporter: more than 450,000 people have filed claims with fema. most of them for damaged

homes. and insurance claim kos reach $20 billion, four times the agency's budget. fema might have to go to congress for more money. mike byrnes is fema's disaster relief coordinator in new york city. byrnes says fema's flood policy is limited in flood zones but his agency is re-examining individual cases including the bediners. >> and you give me their details am we will look into it and we'll find out what's really went on here. >> reporter: the bediners did receive $5,000 from their private home insurer for wind damage, not nearly enough to rebuild. >> reporter: are you angry? >> absolutely. but at the same time, i really don't know what else to do. i mean we turn to the people that we thought would help us. and they haven't done anything. >> reporter: the bediners and their two children will live with family until they figure out what to do. michelle miller, cbs news, staten island. >> jeff: . >> jeff, officials are still trying to figure out how

many people died after a highway tunnel collapsed about 50 miles outside tokyo. at least 150 heavy concrete roof panels crashed on to the roadway burying a number of vehicles. fire then delayed rescuers efforts to get inside. the collapse is about a mile inside the tunnel. >> chinese activist chen guangcheng may be in exile in the u.s. but he is still demanding change in china. in a taped statement released today, chen who is blind called on the new leader of the communist party to carry out political reforms and free jailed activists. chen's appeal comes just days after his nephew was sentenced to three years in prison. a prosecution seen as punishment for aiding his uncle's daring escape from house arrest last april. >> later new orleans firefighters helping new yorkers rebuild after sandy. she remodeled her kitchen and only used fixtures made in america. and serious civil war. rebels closing in on the capitol city of damascus.

those stories when the "cbs evening news" continues. t>

>> jeff: a taliban attack at a military base in eastern afghanistan triggered a two hour battle today. suicide bombers began by detonating explosives at the gate of the nato base in jalalabadment all nine militants were killed. five afghan civilians also died. nato says the base was not breached. in syria two car bombs exploded today in the city of homs. at least 15 were killed there, and dozens of others wounded. and fighting also intense five-- intensified around damascus. as kelly cobiella reports rebels are closing in on the capitol. >> reporter: for the first time rebels are challenging the syrian army for control of the main airport. street battles have grounded flights for three days. rebels have also taken control of two military bases. and appear to be planning a push into the center of

damascus. assad's army answered with rockets and bombs today. so far the regime has managed to stop an attack on the city and retains control of the airport. but for how long? andrew tabler is an analyst at the washington institute for near east policy. >> the rebels have been able to harass the capital as well as the supply chain for several days. and this is unprecedented in the history of syria. and it's another sign that the assad regime is going to contract and eventually perhaps on its way out. >> the last time rebels tried to fight their way into the capitol in july the assad regime moved its forces out of cities in the north and south to reinforce damascus. it worked. this time rebel groups have anti-aircraft weapons and claim to have shot down a government attack helicopter. that kind of firepower analysts say is what the free syrian army needed to gain ground against the regime. but assad has a weapon of last resort. chemical weapons.

>> they have the largest stock pile in the middle east. it's weaponized. there are estimated 45 sites throughout the country. >> reporter: he says if assad is back mood a corner he just may use them. kelly cobiella, cbs news, london. >> jeff: opposition leaders in egypt today called on protestors to return to the streets this week to demonstrate against the new draft constitution they call il legitimate. in cairo today crowds backing islamist president mohammed morsi blocked judges from getting into the country's court buildings. the judges reacted by suspending their work indefinitely. including monitoring a referendum on the new constitution set for december 15th. >> palestinian leader mahmoud abbas got a hero's welcome in the west bank town of ramallah today after winning a vote in the united nations to upgrade the palestinian status to observer state. that move did come at a price. today israel halted the transfer of $120 million in tax revenues to the palestinian authority.

>> coming up, the recipe for the all-american kitchen.

>> it's a commonly heard sentiment, buy american. the logic that it will spur demand in job growth at home. but as sharyl attkisson shows us it's not always as easy as it sounds. >> reporter: kitchen remodels can be daunting. but when eva decided to fix up her charleston home she added an extra challenge. >> everything from now on i'm going to put in my kitsch sen going to be american made. >> reporter: that was good news for the owners of dna

cabinet work the local cabinetry company, they use regionally sourced wood and made to order. >> most people just go into lows and pick a cabinet and go with it. >> reporter: in the last seven years adam and dustin have only seen their business grow thanks in part to customers who make the effort to buy nearby. >> when you get it from somebody who is local they take a lot more time and pridd in the product and you get a better, nicer cabinet and keep your money in the local area which benefits everybody. >> but buying local isn't always easy. in the last ten years the u.s. has cut more than 3.5 million manufacturing jobs, making many american products expensive and hard to find. >> local and american, good, that's great. >> reporter: the smallest parts of project proved to be some of the most difficult. when she finally found a store that carried american-made hardware the cost was almost overwhelming. >> when i decided on this i thought it would be in my budget. unfortunately it was $2500. >> yes, roughly.

>> roughly $2500 and i budgeted between 550 and 700 so i about had a coronerary. >> but she bought the u.s. version anyway and had them installed alongside her ge appliances, specific models still made in the u.s. ravenel says it took longer and cost $3 to $4,000 more but the result was worth it. >> you have to support what you believe in. >> better product made a little closer to home. >> keeping the dream alive, man. >> reporter: sharyl attkisson, cbs news, washington. >> jeff: just ahead, napoleon's letter threatening to blow up the kremlin, up for auction.

>> jeff: boston's old south church owns the first book ever published in what would become the united states. it is the bay psalm book printed in 1640. today the church decided overwhelmingly to sell one of its two copies which could raise as much as $20 million. the church's historian cause the upcoming sale preposterous and irresponsible. a secret coded letter written in 1812 by napoleon sold at auction today for ten times its expected price. the fated letter written in code to throw off anyone who might intercept it boasts of the french emperor's plans to blow up the kremlin during its disastrous invasion of russia. it sold for $243,000 it was signed nap. the kennedy center honors are being award tonight in washington. cbs late show host david letterman is among tonight's recipients along with robert plant, john paul jones and jimmy page of led zeppelin,

actor dustin hoffman, bluesman buddy guy and ballerina nationally mack rova it will be broadcast on december 26th right here on cbs. next up on tonight's "cbs evening news", they were in need following katrina. now they're the ones helping after sandy.

>> jeff: a contributioned to superstorm sandy rebuilding effort is coming in the form of cash. as elaine quijano tells us tonight an invaluable contribution 6 time and skills is being made by out of town firefighters eager to repay a debt of gratitude. >> they had never met before. but ken rueter and david nick connected like old friends. >> i'm from new orleans, we hug people. >> a lot of happy memories here. >> oh, absolutely. >> reporter: for 16 years rueter has worked as a dispatcher for new york city's fire department. >> how high did the water come. >> the water was up to about

here. >> reporter: sandy's storm surge devastated the home his family has owned since 1987. david nick is a new orleans fire department captain. one of 36 firefighters from his city volunteering in new york. helping fire department personnel here rebuild their homes. >> seven years ago we had a pretty big storm in new orleans. and the city of new york sent 600 guys down to help us out. and they made a huge difference for us. >> reporter: their work is partly about repaying that kindness. when hurricane katrina hit. >> when they showed up, you know, we fought fires with these guys. they helped us with rescues. they came and they did what we are doing today, which is incredibly noble but the most important thing that they did was the lifting of the spirits. >> reporter: 9 team assigned to rueter's house made quick work of his flooded base am. in just a couple of hours they tore down the basement's waterlogged wall, work rueter says would have

taken him weeks on his own. >> what would you want to say to these guys. >> i love them for coming up here. >> you love them. >> and doing this, yeah. >> reporter: they didn't have to do that. >> no, no. >> you doing all right. >> reporter: before they said good-bye, the firefighters surprised rueter. >> maybe you can buy a little something. >> reporter: its with a gift card and some money to ease the sting of five weeks of homelessness. >> the citizens of new orleans they stepped up to the plate and they wanted to help you guys up here. >> reporter: the firefighters will return to new orleans soon but for now they're spending each moment reminding people here they are not alone. elaine quijano, cbs news, roxbury new york. >> jeff: this is the "cbs evening news" tonight. later on cbs, "60 minutes." i'm jeff glor, cbs news in new york. scott pelley will be here tomorrow. good night.

captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org spared... plus, a crash on a slick hiy sends several emergency wors to the hospital. what happed as they tried to assist acct victims. ad lib... cbs 5 eyewitness news is next. good evening, i'm ann notarangelo.

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